Editorial: Broun's ethics bill deserves affirmative vote

Say or think what you will about Republican Congressman Paul Broun, who represents this part of the state in Washington, D.C., but when he's right (as in "correct"), he's right (as in "correct").

On Wednesday, Broun introduced House Resolution 1135. Now in the House Rules Committee, Broun's resolution makes the common-sense point that House members ought to be subject to the same annual ethics training as senior congressional staffers.

"Ignorance of the law is not a valid excuse for accused criminals, and it cannot be an excuse for members of Congress," Broun noted correctly in a Thursday news release on his resolution. "The American people expect their Representatives to play by the same rules, but in order to do so, they must first learn them. The House rules already require senior staff to complete ethics training, it only makes sense that their bosses should, too."

That there is a need for House members to become more attuned to the ethical responsibilities their jobs demand - or at least should demand - has been made disappointingly clear in recent weeks.

New York Democratic Rep. Charlie Rangel was, as The New York Times noted Thursday, "admonished by the House Ethics Committee last week for accepting corporate-sponsored trips to the Caribbean. The ethics panel is still investigating more serious accusations regarding Rangel's fundraising, his failure to pay federal taxes on rental income from a villa he owns in the Dominican Republic, and his use of four rent-stabilized apartments provided by a Manhattan real estate developer."

Much closer to home, and within Broun's own political party, is the case of Georgia Republican U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal, who announced Monday that he would resign effective this coming Monday to devote all of his time to running for governor of this state. He rearranged that timetable later in the week, issuing a campaign news release to say he'll stay in Congress until late in the month.

The release notes that the decision is based on President Obama's desire for a quick vote on health care reform, and quotes Deal as saying he "knew it was important to stay and vote down this bill."

But as noted recently in The Wall Street Journal and elsewhere, Deal's imminent departure from Congress will effectively end a House Ethics Committee probe of his business involvement in a state auto-salvaging contract. According to reports from last year in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Deal and a partner got the contract without competing against other bidders, and Deal later got involved with state officials to block proposed contract changes.

Cynics might suggest some partisan calculation in the apparent timing of Broun's introduction of the resolution, believing it's aimed more squarely at Rangel than elsewhere. But according to a Broun spokesperson, the congressman had been working on the resolution for some time, and "while this resolution is not aimed at any member in particular - recent events do highlight the need for this resolution."

Briefly, under current House rules for senior staff members - which would apply to House members if Broun's resolution wins approval - ethics training includes a look at gift and travel bans and campaign-related activities, restrictions on outside income, conflicts of interest and a host of other issues.

Broun deserves real credit for introducing his resolution, and the correct move for the House would be to pass the measure.